#otohime x reader

[mmkin]

why yes, arlong...

Arlong and his Squid from my Arlong x Reader 'Get You Some Arlong' fic. I'm still working on Squid's "final" look, I keep messing around with her hair but this is the best style I like so far. And no, the goldfish on her shirt isn't a reference to Otohime, it just meant I was hungry for goldfish crackers. Nom nom.

I always imagined Squid to have mottling on her skin like I see some aquatic creatures, like on the outside of her arms along her back and tentacles.

Colored/uncolored included for comparison and fun. I did this on Paint because I don't have Photoshop or anything fancy but I had fun all the same.

#one piece #strawberrycatbeans #villain gets the girl #arlong #arlong x reader #squidgirl #fanart\

[usopp-writes]

hello! :) think you could make a drabble about kozuki hiyori finding love/adoration in a female reader? i just adore her so much. thank you in advance! <3

Rookie of the sea

Hiyori is such a great woman and she is strong. Part of her reminds me of Queen Otohime, the gentleness she has, even when things are hard and against her, she hold her head high and never waver from her path. So Hiyori definitely deserves some love and admiration.

This is my first time writing her, so bear with me. It'll mostly be from the POV of reader, but I do hope that I catch the spirit of Hiyori n her part.

Enjoy <3

Kozuki Hiyori x female reader SFW Word count: 1,820

You had endured so much for years, worked so hard so your family could get some food and fresh water and now you were finally here. Accepted to train further as a geisha, though in the shadow of the most beautiful and amazing geisha Wano had ever had – Komurasaki. You felt blessed to watch her gracefulness and flawless performance. Seeing how she took advantage of the greedy med of Wano and stripped them down without any remorse, was the best revenge you could think of. Those men, who were part of the trouble that this country was in, deserved nothing less than being ridiculed and shamed by this beautiful woman.

Komurasaki was perfect in your eyes, graceful as a princess and ruthless. You wished you could be like her one day, using your skills to undo some of the crimes against Wano. Faint memories of days before Orochi and Kaido took the power flashed through your memories, as you watched Komurasaki practice her skills. There was just something about her that made you believed that one day, everything was going to be okay.

All that, however, shattered on the day Kyoshiro slashed Komurasaki and killed her in one blow. You weren’t there, but you remembered how you felt your world crumble, your hopes shattering and your heart break into pieces beyond repair. You realized that you loved her with all your being and now she was gone, before you even realized it. Now you couldn’t even try and get the courage to tell her how you felt. You would never see her beauty again.

Days passed, as you kept working, though you didn’t manage to pull yourself together, so you could be called to Onigashima, to which others shamed you for. You had so much potential and everyone had thought you could have been the left hand to Komurasaki. There had been a potential great marriage for you in the future, had you not faltered in the most crucial time. Being called to the party at Onigashima was a great honor and achievement. One you didn’t get and yet you weren’t upset. It would give you some time to breath and grieve.

You looked at the lantern in your hands, the letters were delicate written on it and forming words you could never speak. Arigatō Komurasaki. You’re my star. With a bittersweet smile, you sent the lantern flying. You watched it take to the sky with all others, hoping it would reach her and that she would watch over you. Your heart was set, you would keep her legacy and you would become the next Oiran.

Morning came, but you hadn’t slept at all. You had finally let go of your grief and made a decision to keep going to do your duty and undermine everyone serving Orochi and Kaido, but then their reign fell. No one had been prepared for the fall, no one had even known that there had been a raid on Onigashima and no one had expected that most of the wishes sent to heaven that night came true. Orochi was gone; Kaido and even Big Mom had been defeated. Wano was utterly in chaos, but among the chaos, the Kozuki clan had emerged from the death. Oden’s children, Momonosuke and Hiyori was still alive and they’d been helped by not only Wano’s finest samurais and the red scabbards, but by pirates too.

You hadn’t seen it with your own eyes, but people were ecstatic and the talk about Wano’s freedom was heard in every corner of the capital. At first you’d believed people had gotten too much to drink and was dreaming with their eyes opened. That was why you had gone home and tried to sleep, but the celebration had never stopped and kept you awake all night.

Walking through the streets, listening to people telling stories about the fall of the greatest and rise of the death, you felt the need to know what was true and what not. Your feet led you towards the port, you wanted to somehow go to Onigashima and find out for yourself if the Kozuki clan had fulfilled the prophecy made by Toki. Was it really true? Was Wano free from Kaido and Orochi? Could the people now start living again and would the island blossom once more? You hoped so.

Komurasaki. Is it really true? Wano is free? Can you now rest in peace? You thought, as you left the capital, left the still ongoing celebrations.

Shocked you found Onigashima on the mainland, a big rubble that just was there. You stared and stared, as did others that also had wanted to know the truth and gone this way to the harbor. It was there, destroyed. How did it get there? Why? Had Kaido ben too drunk and done this and people just thought that the ghost of the past had risen and beat the emperor? Were their truly strong pirates on Onigashima?

Unlike the people around you, you built up the courage to go towards the rubble, ignoring the shouts and fear of everyone. You couldn’t falter now. Not only was the hope shining in your chest, but you had also had fellow geisha friends that had been on Onigashima and you wanted to know what happened to them. They were all you had left, after all. The geisha and your family.

You picked up the speed, the closer you got the rubble, the silence deafening to you. Were there even any survivors? Could anyone have survived? You had to know, as you climbed the rubbles, trying to find out what was going on.

It wasn’t easy, the rocks cut your delicate hands, but you ignored it, ignored the blood seeping from them. You’d come this far, you couldn’t let pain hold you back. Panting, you took a small break. You could hear it now. The sounds of people getting organized and taking care of the wounded, but you couldn’t tell who was in charge. Your courage faltered slightly now you were this close to find out what had happened and if the rumors were true. That Kaido was beaten and Wano finally free again.

“Oh my, your hands are bleeding.”

The soft voice brought you out of your thoughts and you shot your head up and let out a sharp gasp. No. This couldn’t be, could it? This woman, who now knelt in front of you, taking your hand into hers and treating the cuts, looked so much like Komurasaki and yet not. Just who was she? She definitely was beautiful and delicate, the way she treated your wounds with so much care and attention, made you blush. It made you remember days when Komurasaki would gentle take care of you and pick you up, when you were down.

“There you go. Once they’ve healed, they’ll be as beautiful and delicate as always, y/n.”

You looked baffled at her. She knew your name. Just who was she?

“…”

“Oi, Hiyori did you find more bandages, yoi?”

The two of you got interrupted by a tall, lean man with a tuff of blond hair. You had no idea who he was, but he did look strong. Wait, did he say Hiyori? You looked at this beautiful woman, who looked so much like your beloved Komurasaki.

“Sorry, Marco, I didn’t get that far.”

Marco now looked at you and your hands, which had been bandaged. His questions made you look down on your hands and you noticed the color of the bandages was the same color as that of Hiyori’s clothes and you instinctively knew she’d used them to take care of your wounds. You felt lightheaded and overwhelmed. Dizziness took over you and you closed your eyes for a brief moment.

When you opened your eyes again, you were lying down, Hiyori’s worried face hovering over you. From the corner of your eyes, you noticed Marco still there. He said something, but your senses were still not back. He left, after Hiyori nodded.

“You got me worried there, y/n. I guess it was too much for you. You’d always had such a kind soul.” Hiyori smiled softly.

You noticed now that your head was placed on her lap and while it felt so nice, you quickly sat up, blushing. It was true, Princess Hiyori had survived, she was really alive and she treated you as her equal? Why would she do that? And just how did she know you?

Hiyori chuckled, reached out for you and made you sit next to her, her hand holding yours. “I know it’s much to take in now, y/n, but it’s true. Wano is once more free. Orochi is dead and Kaido has been defeated. We can rebuild everything and make Wano blossom once more. I’m so happy you’re still alive to see this.” She smiled, though you could see the tears in her eyes. It was tears of joy and sadness. Joy, because Wano was finally free, the terror had ended and sadness because her father and mother wasn’t here to see it.

You nodded lightly. “W-will you tell me what happened tonight, Princess?”

Hiyori cupped your chin, making you look at her beautiful eyes, making you blush even more. “I will tell you the story of the heroes that came to our aid and freed us. I’ll teach you it, so we together can play it. I always enjoyed our days together, y/n. When you came to Kyoshiro, you were just a young girl with the need to feed her family in your eyes. While it was always there, your eyes changed and you too enjoyed our time together, didn’t you? The time with me.”

“K-Komurasaki? You were the princess all this time?” You stuttered, eyes widening as it dawned on you.

She chuckled softly and placed a kiss on your cheek, effectively turning your entire face red. “Ay that was me. Kyoshiro was Denjiro, one of the scabbards. We waited for the perfect time to use our skills and help in the battle that mother predicted. My heart was cold and dead, but then you came and you gave me my chine back. I couldn’t have become who I am today, if it hadn’t been for you, y/n. Please help me in the future too. Stay by my side, when we build up Wano again. Or did your feelings change now you know my true identity?”

You shook your head. “You’re still gentle and shining so brightly. My feelings won’t change, just because you are my princess. You’ve always been that to me. I admire and love you.”

Hiyori smiled happily and you knew that while it would be tough, the future was now even brighter for you. For all of Wano. And you would be in the frontline, helping it blossom once more. With Komu- no Hiyori at your side, you could have your dream.

#hiyori x female reader #self insert x canon #one piece x reader #hiyori x yn #kozuki hiyori #sfw #one piece

[fallensnowfan]

Similar idea to my previous post, this time about the shared themes and motivations of the Straw Hats. Then including Kiku and Yamato at the end. Starting with Luffy as the baseline - Adventure, dreams, and freedom. Zoro - Behind Luffy, Zoro has the most unfiltered ambition. He allowed himself to be held in that court yard under false pretenses, unknown to him, until Luffy arrived. Nami - While working to free her village, she had given up her own freedom in the process. She wants to map the entire world. Usopp - He has the habit of thinking up fantastical stories about that world. He's free to run around his island though was somewhat aimless or waiting for someone to give him a push. Sanji - In seeking the All Blue, he is believing in those seemingly impossible stories that always arise. Sanji held himself back out of stubborn obligation. Chopper - He wants to make those unbelievable stories come true by making himself the embodiment of the medicine that can cure any illness. Chopper was afraid he wouldn't be accepted by others. Robin - She had further internalized that others won't accept her. Wants to uncover the hidden stories and knowledge of the world and make them accessible to those who seek to explore them. Franky - Stubborn obligation appears once again. He wants to create a ship that can navigate the entire world. Brook - Teller of stories and dreams and ambitions, is that too sappy? Hope the idea is clear. Was restricted by the effects of his shadow having been stolen. Through hoping to meet Laboon again, he seeks to connect a story from the past to one in the present. Jinbei - Stubborn obligation the third. He felt the need to properly separate himself from Fishman Island, Big Mom, and the Sun Pirates before joining the crew. Jinbei wants the citizens of his home to be able to see the world, free of hatred. Kiku - Stubborn Obligation x 100. Ohhh so much to say but I'll keep it short, maybe. She has an all encompassing loyalty to Oden, a desire to defeat Kaido, and a rigid adherence to the samurai code. The arc is over, Oden called himself a story to tell over drinks, Kaido is defeated, and Kiku’s ideals of sticking too closely to that code have been challenged by a man who once got so hung up over his own stubborn beliefs that he left his crew over them. We don't know much about what opening Wano's borders will entail, though it’s reminiscent of Otohime’s/Jinbei's dream of wanting the citizens of Fishman Island to freely experience the world. Having someone on the Sunny seeking to open Wano's borders has the added benefit of making the readers more invested in that goal, rather than it being something that progresses entirely while the current crew is away. Prediction time: Chapter 1061′s title will be "Adventure in the Land of Snow." Anyone else remember that Naruto movie from the mid 2000s? Yamato - Wants to be a part of the world which everything above is taking place in. His cuffs have been removed, he has left Onigashima, Kaido has been defeated, and he has friends. He's going along with it though his current role is something he didn't fully want, it's an obligation. Wano is free though Yamato isn't quite there. He tells Luffy he wouldn’t feel right leaving Wano yet though still carries his dream of sailing out to sea that’s been with him for the past 20 years. The Straw Hats have said farewell for now. They've set off for their next destination. And even encountered a familiar face from the past. Where will the story go from here? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z!

#One Piece #Okiku #Usopp #Straw Hats #Wano arc #One Piece chapter 1060

[monstergirlencyclopediaimagines]

Can you do a platonic (familial) Otohime, Pharaoh, and Ryu (separately) with an autistic male child please? (Thank you in advance, this is the only blog that does Monster Girl Encyclopedia imagines)

Awww, this is such a cute ask!!! Things have been getting so friggin busy I can’t even. I don’t know how I’ve found the time to actually continue my hyperfixation on these ladies. I hope these are to your liking!

(Familial) Otohime, Pharaoh, and Ryu with a male!autistic!child

Otohime -- Ocean Mom

Can you say "permissive parenting"? It sounds negligent on paper, but it's actually worked in a couple cases and it has helped her son develop some critical thinking skills of his own. It took a few tries, but now he knows that trying to climb the spiraling columns of their ocean home isn't a good idea.

I feel like the Otohime are very physically affectionate, so realizing her son doesn't always like to be touched will come at a huge shock to her. She'll have to physically restrain herself from hugging him if he doesn't seem like he's in the mood for it, but her heart soars when he gets super touchy and starts to hug her on his own. This is what makes her a proud mom.

Given that Ocean Mom will probably still lure prospective spouses to her domain, she'll start running ideas for a spouse by her son when he gets to be old enough. "What do you think about this person? Do you think you'd get along with them well? Would you be interested in them being your new daddy/mommy?" It becomes less of a simple chance to find a fuckbuddy and a quest to find the most compatible spouse for her and her son.

Pharaoh -- Pyramid Mom

Honestly? Probably the best mom right here. Pharaohs are probably the most responsible mamono on this list. Their realms aren't super chaotic and bright, so there's a relatively low chance of a sensory overload. I also feel like the Anubises (Anubi?) have a very high chance of being on the high-functioning end of the spectrum themselves, so the pharaoh would already have some prior experience with autistic people.

Pharaohs have a natural "talent" for grasping the hearts and minds of others, so if her son begins to have a meltdown, Pyramid Mom is there to reach out to him and help him ride it out. If her son thinks that the room is too loud, down comes the snake staff as Pyramid Mom orders the court to be silent.

If her son likes to be closed in when he sleeps (as someone on the spectrum meself I know that I do) Pyramid Mom will order that the best blankets, the best pillows, and the snuggliest stuffed animals be brought to the pyramid so her son can have the best bed in the joint.

Ryu -- Dragon Mom

Dragon Mom is a worrywart. She is probably the closest thing to a helicopter parent in this ask. She's constantly hovering over her precious boy trying to keep him out of trouble and doing her darndest to make sure he has the best life she can offer. Which honestly? Is a pretty cushy life given her status as a high-ranking mamono.

One thing Dragon Mom can offer that the other moms can't is rides on her back in her dragon form. Because ryu don't like to intimidate humans, she won't show her son this form unless she's absolutely sure he can handle it. And even when he can, she doesn't go fast, he has to wear protective gear in the event he falls off.

She may be the only one who won’t try to keep interacting with future spouses. At least, not while her son is still young. When he’s old enough to go out on his own, she’ll get that empty nest syndrome and start looking around again. Except now, having a partner that will accept and love her son as much as she does is a must. Oh, and her adult son MUST come home for dinner once a month. Pwease? She gets lonely.

#answered asks #mge x reader #monster girl encyclopedia #monster girl encyclopedia x reader #platonic #familial #mge #kenkou cross #otohime x reader #monster girl encyclopedia otohime #mge otohime #otohime #mge otohime x reader #mge pharaoh #monster girl encyclopedia pharaoh #pharaoh x reader #pharaoh #ryu x reader #monster girl encyclopedia ryu #mge ryu x reader #child reader #fluff #autistic reader #male reader #mge pharaoh x reader #monster girl encyclopedia pharaoh x reader #monster girl encyclopedia ryu x reader

[opbackgrounds]

I’m asking this here because I’m not sure how to feel about a kind of glaringly horrible and obvious issue with OP. I’m a black woman that really likes the manga and anime and I’m confused why people don’t talk about Usopp being drawn as a sambo style cartoon. Not just with usopp but other black characters. It’s incredibly racist and makes me feel some weird guilt for enjoying it. I don’t want to make this some huge discourse but I’m curious your thoughts.

I’m not...the best person to weigh in on this, being a white person coming from a predominately white part of the country, but here’s my two cents anyway.

Back when I was in high school, we had a Chinese foreign exchange student who I was surprised to learn absolutely despised the Japanese. I was sixteen, and it was my first time really realizing that racism, discrimination, and xenophobia aren’t just American issues. It’s everywhere, you just don’t hear about it because, well, why would you? The problem is so far off our radar that it doesn’t even register as a problem. 

Fast forward a little bit and I’m reading Hikaru no Go, and while reading an early chapter there was a translator note at how the mangaka portrayed Koreans was discriminatory. That note stuck with me more than anything else in the series, because I had never heard of the tensions between Japan and Korea before. Like with the example with the Chinese foreign exchange student, I was completely ignorant. 

Japan has a long history of xenophobia, ethno-centrism, and discrimination both within their boarders and without. Their Imperialistic bent in WWII was justified by claiming they were the superior Asian race, while minority groups like the Ainu people still face discrimination today.  

(As an aside, if you want to learn more about the culture of WWII-era Japan, I really suggest listening to the first episode of The Supernova of the East series of Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History podcast. It’s very in-depth while being easily digestible, and everything Carlin works on is amazing).

So the question I have to ask myself is this: Is it fair for me to expect a foreign author to understand all the subtleties of racism and discrimination in my culture (a task at which I myself often fail) when there is no way I could possibly comprehend the nuance and intricacies of theirs?   

Just like Bambi’s big fluttering eyes hugely influenced character design in manga/anime, Black stereotypes were exported to Japan through the lens of Western media. After all, Song of the South wasn’t just released in the States; it was put out for the whole world to see, and, unfortunately, the world did see. 

So while I can understand how character designs like Usopp or DBZ’s Mr. Popo can be hurtful, I don’t think that it was intentional. And while this is just my two cents, I think intent matters. 

And this is where I feel like stories like One Piece can really shine. The setting is so fantastical, so otherworldly, that it crosses boarders. I have little doubt that Otohime and Fisher Tiger were at least partially based on Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcom X, while the New Fishman Pirates forcing the people of Fishman Island to step on a picture of Queen Otohime is a direct reference to fumi-e, a practice from Japan’s past when government officials would force people to stop on pictures of Jesus or the Virgin Mary to oust Christians, arresting, torturing, and killing those who refused. These are easily recognizable symbols and archetypes that apply to different cultures and time periods, lending itself to a more universal message that can be easily understood no matter what nation the reader hails from. 

I’m pretty vocal about disliking direct allegory because it’s usually mishandled and often very limiting, whereas a strong theme can have broader application overall. One of the most obvious themes in One Piece is that judging a person by their looks or reputation is bad, that targeting children because of what family or group they belong to is bad, that hating someone just because an authority power told you to is bad. 

To me that outweighs some questionable character designs that Oda might not have known were offensive when he first came up with them. But again, I don’t have to deal with that kind of thing on a day to day basis, and that’s just my two cents. 

#sarc talks #racism

[creative-type]

Queen Otohime: The Nuanced Idealist

Every story has a message. Good stories usually have a central theme that lies at the core of the narrative with any number of secondary themes to support it. Even if a creator claims that there is no specific idea that they’re trying to communicate (the “it’s just entertainment” defense) they are still sending a message to their audience, and the lack of point becomes the point.. 

As the entertainment industry grows to unprecedented heights, so does their influence on their audience. There are a couple of different theories on the exact relationship between media and culture, but it is plainly evident that there’s an endless cycle of culture influencing media which in turn influences culture. 

Which is why I want to talk about One Piece’s Queen Otohime

Before I get started, I want to make it clear that I don’t think Oda is obligated to write his story in any particular way for the sake of his audience. He has the freedom to put whatever he wants in his manga, whether I or anyone else agree with him or not. It’s the reader’s responsibility (or perhaps their parents, in the case of younger children) to discern for themselves what media they consume.

I do, however, think that a writer has a responsibility to be aware of what ideas they’re presenting. Oda’s audience happens to be huger than most, and to paraphrase Dumbledore that means his influence is greater than, say, a random upstart on tumblr.

*Cough*

For most, the Fishman Island arc is an inauspicious beginning to the second half of the series and a major let-down after the peak that was the Marineford War. I think that Oda would have had a difficult time satisfying fans no matter what, if only because Fishman Island had been such a long time coming. But while the meat of the arc falls flat, the backstory is excellent.

Now I write this as a white American, so keep in mind stones and glass houses, but Japan has a problem with xenophobia and racism. Oda has also tends to write his female characters - especially if they’re royalty - in a way that can be seen as problematic. Shirahoshi from this same arc irritated the crap out of me, and she shares a lot of traits with her mother. 

So what’s the difference?

A Multiplicity of Ideologies 

Considering the subject matter and Oda’s past history with female characters, it would it have been really easy to screw up the backstory for Fishman Island. I commend Oda for presenting the issues of slavery and racism in the first place. It’s not something he had to do, and I’m sure he wrote the Fishman Island arc fully aware of what he was getting himself into.

What I think helps us buy what Oda’s trying to sell is that Otohime’s view isn’t the only ideology presented. Her greatest foil Fisher Tiger has similar goals, but approaches the problem in an opposite manner. Jimbe ends up representing the middle ground, and says he doesn’t know which one of them was right

We’re also given a whole spectrum of characters that fall between these two opposites. There’s Aladdin, a former slave and soldier who never showed any hatred towards humans. There’s Arlong - who starts off rebuking Jimbe for his brutality and ends up enslaving entire islands in the East Blue - and Macro, who seems to turn over a new leaf before returning to the slave trade in the present day. 

On Otohime’s side of things, her own husband doesn’t agree with what she preaches, but lets her continue as she wants because he loves her 

And that’s not even looking at the human characters. I think the only viewpoint we don’t get within the flashback is one of a “good” Celestial Dragon, and Oda covers that during the Dressrosa arc. To this day Koala is the only flashback character I wish was the protagonist in her own manga. (If you didn’t feel something here, you’re either lying or have no soul)

It also helps that Oda does his research and is well-informed on the issues at hand. While it’s not been confirmed (to my knowledge, anyway) I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if Oda based Otohime and Fisher in part on Martin Luther King, Jr and Malcolm X.  

On the other hand Oda does have just about every “good” character say that Otohime is right, so it’s obvious that he’s presenting one ideology as superior to another. I remember reading some criticism when these chapters first came out saying Oda was getting too preachy, and there is some merit to that. I think as an reader outside of the intended demographic it’s important to remember that One Piece is written for young boys whose worldviews are still being shaped and whose critical thinking skills aren’t completely developed. Some anvils do need to be dropped.

At the same time, by including the story of Fisher Tiger Oda is showing that these other ideas exist, which is more than can be said about a lot of media written for this age group. Otohime’s way of doing things has its flaws, namely that it’s gonna take a loooong time to work while there are untold number of fishmen (and humans) suffering under the unjust rule of the Celestial Dragons.

Which brings me to point number two

Suffering and Selfishness

In some ways Otohime is a parody of the all-loving hero archetype. In her introductory scene she slaps a thief into repentance (breaking her hand doing so) and is commended by her subjects for her compassion. Her unique brand of Observation Haki gives her super human (merman?) empathy that she uses to better understand and serve her people. Everyone except the villains agree that she was the ideal mother, wife, and queen.

And boy oh boy does she suffer for it.

The timeline for the Fishman Island flashback is confusing, but it does cover at least four years in which Otohime starts her petition, sees little success, and then actually goes backwards as the people withdraw their names before finally getting the support that she needs to make her motion to attend the Reverie. 

The implication is that she was working on her goals long before the flashback begins, but we’ll just look at what we’re explicitly told. In the grand scheme of things, four years isn’t that long of a time, but the daily grind clearly has an effect on Otohime’s emotional well-being.

Queen Otohime, presented thus far as a paragon of motherhood and virtue, gets so drunk that she calls out her entire nation over speakerphone. What resilience and polite discourse can’t do, she achieves through inebriation XD

It’s here we see Otohime’s true character. Yes, teaching the children, organizing sea rescues, preaching peace with humanity are all things Otohime believes in and wants to see happen. She wouldn’t have continued so long with so little support otherwise. But really, when you get down to it, her reasoning is just a little bit selfish

Otohime’s drunken rant is was solidifies her as a character instead of a caricature. She’s a mother who wants her children to have a better future than what she’s experienced, but she wants to do it the right way, the hard way, because she wants her kid’s future to be a peaceful one. Otohime is always looking forward, which brings me to my last, but perhaps most important, point

Nuance 

One of the things I found most annoying about Dressrosa was King Riku - and by extension Rebecca’s - pacifism. I don’t have a problem with pacifism in and of itself, but when a murderous sociopath comes a knockin’ on your doorstep then you might need to rethink your priorities. It was the same difficulty I had with Shirahoshi not telling anyone who really murdered her mother. There is literally no justification for her to stay silent in that instance, I don’t care what anyone says. Oda chose Ideology over common sense. 

That’s the problem when writing idealists. No one ideology is going to have an answer for every situation, and it gives rise to situations like Shirahoshi and Rebecca.

There are people who will never get over their irrational hatred.This is true to both the world of One Piece and Real Life. What Otohime wants for the future can’t exist in the same space as hatred. They are mutually exclusive. 

Nor can she sidestep the fact that the hurt and the pain her people have suffered. The injustice is real, and Otohime knows it. Heck, because of her Haki she probably knows it better than the people themselves because what they feel, she feels, and she has taken all of their burdens upon herself.

Chapter 625 gave me chills when I read it for the first time. Volume 63, which contains the vast majority of the Fishman Island flashback, is the only volume of One Piece that I own a physical copy of largely because of this moment. 

The title of the chapter 625 is “Uninherited Will”. Passing on one’s will is one of the major themes of the series. It’s no accident that chapter 145, best known for Hiliruk’s  speech, is literally called “Inherited Will”. Characters don’t die in One Piece unless they’ve achieved their dreams or passed them onto someone else, so for there to be something that needs to be uninherited - or to put it another way, abandoned and left behind - is a pretty big deal.

Otohime isn’t saying that the former slave’s pain is to be forgotten or left unpunished. She’s not even asking them to forgive the Celestial Dragons for what they’ve done. What she asks is for is the chance for their children - who know nothing of humans whatsoever - the opportunity to grow up and form their own opinions free of the hateful bias of their parents. What Otohime is looking for is a chance to end the cycle of revenge that will only lead to more death and misery and pain, and start over again. What happens after that...well, that’s up to the next generation. 

Note that despite saving his life, Saint Mysogard’s views don’t change, nor does Otohime expect them to. Also note that Hody, despite never suffering at the hands of humans and hearing Otohime’s words, still grows up to be one of the most racist (specist?) characters in the series. She dies before seeing her dreams come to fruition, and ten years later Fishman Island is on the brink of a hostile takeover by fishman supremacists. 

She did, however, pass on what was most important to those who matter most. What Otohime couldn’t do, Fukaboshi, Manboshi, Ryuboshi, and Shirahoshi will. And I think if she were real, Otohime would have been happy with that.

(I promise I’m not crying. I’ve just got dust in my eyes)

#One Piece #Eiichiro Oda #Fishman Island #Otohime #Queen Otohime #Writing #Manga #analysis #creative-type analyzes